1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of shifting to a power saving mode, and to a control method for the image processing apparatus, and also to a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image processing apparatus, such as a multifunction peripheral, can be operated in a power saving mode by stopping supply of electric power for specific parts thereof to reduce power consumption. More specifically, if a user instructs the image processing apparatus to shift to a power saving mode or if the user has not performed any operation on the image processing apparatus for a certain period of time, this constitutes an event that causes the image processing apparatus to shift from a normal power mode to the power saving mode.
In an image processing apparatus configured as described above, even if an event occurs which causes a shift of the mode to the power saving mode while a prescribed process is in progress in the image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus is prohibited from shifting from the normal power mode to the power saving mode.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Number 2006-222569 discusses a case where the image processing apparatus is allowed to enter a power saving mode if an event occurs which causes a shift to a power saving mode when no job is being executed in the image processing apparatus.
Moreover, among the conventional image processing apparatuses, an image processing apparatus is well known, in which if a document obtained by scanning an original, for example, is stored in a memory area called a box (hereinafter referred to as a “document storage process”), and when a new document is stored in the box, notification is given to a predetermined destination that a document has been stored in the box (hereinafter referred to as a “document storage notice”).
Issuing a document storage notice is a process in which, when a new document is stored in the box, information including a storage location and a title of the document is sent by e-mail to previously set destinations.
The document storage process is generally executed at irregular intervals. Sometimes this process is not executed for a long time, and other times a large amount of documents is stored in a short period of time. A document storage notice described above may not be sent immediately after the document storage process is finished, but may be sent at regular intervals. When a plurality of documents have been stored in the box within a specified time, document storage notices can be given collectively by sending the document storage notices at regular timing.
Generally, if a process is not being executed in the image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus is allowed to shift to a power saving mode. In other words, in the image processing apparatus which can perform a document storage process and issue a document storage notice, it is possible to shift to a power saving mode after a process to store a document has been completed and before a document storage notice begins to be issued.
However, if a shift to a power saving mode is executed after a document storage process has been completed and before a document storage notice begins to be issued, a problem arises as follows. Specifically, if a shift to a power saving mode takes place, power is not supplied to the parts required to issue a document storage notice. For this reason, a document storage notice, which should be normally issued after the document storage process is completed, cannot be issued due to the shift to the power saving mode.
The above-described problem can be solved when power supply is returned from a power saving mode to a normal power mode at timing when a document storage notice is issued. However, according to this method, power supply is returned from the power saving mode to the normal power mode each time a notice is issued even when a document storage process has not been performed. In other words, it is necessary to repeat a shift to and a return from the power saving mode many times. Therefore, effects of power consumption reduction by shifting to the power saving mode cannot be sufficiently obtained.
Moreover, there is another problem with an image processing apparatus which executes a document storage process at irregular intervals and also executes a process of issuing, at regular intervals, a notice that a document has been stored by the document storage process. More specifically, the problem is that a shift to the power saving mode cannot be performed in an appropriate manner.